FEC-Result-Rapid-Impact-Assessment-Feb911 Compressed

Belize
Rapid Impact Assessment of Financial

and Economic Crisis on Poverty and
Vulnerability in Belize and Dangriga
The Millennium Development Goals

Edited by: United Nations Development Programme,
Belmopan, Belize
February 2011
Main author: Patricia Mendoza, MA International Affairs, Economic Policy

Management, A.B.E.N Consulting NA
Acknowledgements: This study on the Rapid Impact Assessment of the Financial and
Economic Crises was implemented by the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) Belize in collaboration with the
Ministry of Economic Development and supported by Consultant,
Patricia Mendoza. Thanks to Economists, Jeanette Garcia and Carlos
Pol of the Ministry of Economic Development, who were part of the
Project Execution Group. The technical staff of the Statistical
Institute of Belize (SIB) reviewed the methodological approach,
collaborated on data processing and provided a review of results.
Kristine Blokhus, former Assistant Resident Representative guided
the project development process. This report was implemented with
funding from the Poverty Thematic Trust Fund (PTTF).
Contact: Jay A Coombs

Programme Officer
Poverty Reduction and Millennium Development Goals
UNDP Belize, 3rd Floor, Lawrence Nicolas Building, South Ring Road,
Belmopan, Belize
[email protected]
Tel: (501) 822 2688
Design: UNDP Belize
Printer: Belargo Enterprises, Belize City, Belize
The views expressed in this publication are those of the author and
do not necessarily represent those of UNDP.
All rights reserved. No Part of this publication may be reproduced,

stored in a retrieval system of transmitted, in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
Belize
otherwise, without prior written permission.
iii Foreword | United Nations Development Programme
Foreword
As the economies of developing countries are grappling with recession, the most vulnerable
populations are the first to fall victims to this crisis. The impact of the Financial and Economic
Crises (FEC) on poor and vulnerable populations in developing countries have resulted in rising
unemployment and reduced household incomes. Additionally, households struggle to meet
basic needs and adopt coping mechanisms such as reducing consumption of food and other
essentials with consequences for health and children’s school participation among others.
Notably the FEC has pushed many developing countries to contract investments in social
spending, particularly on essential services such as primary health care, education and
transport as governments revenues dip significantly. The FEC can endanger the achievement of
national development objectives including the Millennium Development Goals and can cause a
partial reversal of previous gains.
This Report highlights that there are distinct aspects of urban poverty that need to be
addressed to reduce regional disparities in MDG achievement. Essentially, the Rapid Impact
Assessment found that urban communities, specifically those in Dangriga and Belize City were
affected by the crises. These communities were able to articulate the extent of poverty and
vulnerability experienced through a participatory poverty assessment that was implemented to
enrich the impact assessment process. In many instances, the crises exacerbated the
vulnerability and poverty experience by many households.
This Report is another instrument used to track and monitor progress toward MDG
achievement in Belize specifically at the urban level. It is expected that the report will be used
as a tool for awareness raising, advocacy, alliance building and renewal of national commitment
for poverty reduction. This report further demonstrates the need to continue to prioritize social
and human development and to keep the MDGs on the national agenda in Belize.
Rapid Impact Assessment of Financial and Economic Crisis on Poverty and Vulnerability
iv
Content
Foreword .........................................................................................................................................iv
Content ............................................................................................................................................v
Abbreviations ................................................................................................................................. vii
1. Introduction and Summary Conclusions ................................................................................... 1
2. Macroeconomic and Social Protection Context ........................................................................ 4
A. Macroeconomic Evidence of Financial and Economic Crises ................................................ 4
B. Social Protection Strategies and Priorities .............................................................................. 5
i. The Institutional Arrangements for Social Protection in Belize ....................................... 5
ii. Current Social Policy Priorities ......................................................................................... 7
3. Community Level Evidence of Financial and Economic Crises and Impacts ............................ 10
A. Participatory Poverty Assessments Results and MDG Linkages ........................................... 10
i. Poverty Reduction .......................................................................................................... 10
ii. Universal Education........................................................................................................ 11
iii. Gender Equality and Women Empowerment ............................................................ 11
iv. Reducing HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria and other diseases ................................. 11
v. Environmental Sustainability ......................................................................................... 12
vi. Vulnerability related changes and/or coping strategies ............................................ 12
B. Statistical Analysis ................................................................................................................. 12
i. The 2006 Status .................................................................................................................. 14
ii. The 2009 Status ................................................................................................................. 19
4. Key Risk Management Issues, Identified Changes and Recommended Measures .................. 20
A. Key Issues and Identified Changes ..................................................................................... 20
B. Measures for Mitigation of FEC Impacts ........................................................................... 21
Bibliography .................................................................................................................................. 24
Annex 1: Approach to the Analysis .............................................................................................. 25
Annex 2: Key Concepts................................................................................................................. 27
A. Exogenous Shocks and Transmission Channels .................................................................... 27
B. Poverty and Vulnerability...................................................................................................... 27
C. Social Protection................................................................................................................... 28
D. Macroeconomic and Transmission Indicators ...................................................................... 30
v Content | United Nations Development Programme

Annex 4: Key Issues Highlighted by Participator Poverty Assessment per Urban Community ... 31
Annex 5: Geographic Boundaries and Main Profile of Participatory Poverty Assessment
Communities ................................................................................................................................. 33
Annex 6: Main Tables - 2006 Labour Force Survey ...................................................................... 41
Annex 7: Main Tables - 2009 Labour Force Survey ...................................................................... 48
vi
Abbreviations
BEST Belize Enterprise for Sustainable Technology
BTL Belize TeleMedia Limited
CARICOM Caribbean Community
CPA Country Poverty Assessment
ED Enumeration District
FEC Financial and Economic Crises
GDP Gross Domestic Product
HIV/AIDS Human Immunodeficiency virus/Acquired immune deficiency syndrome
ILO International Labour Organization
IMF International Monetary Fund
KHMH Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital
LFS Labour Force Survey
LSMS Living Standards Measurement Survey
MDG Millennium Development Goal
NGO Non-Government Organization
PPA Participatory Poverty Assessment
PTTF Poverty Thematic Trust Fund
SISB Single Information System of Beneficiaries
SBR Single Beneficiary Registry
SSB Social Security Board
TOR Terms of Reference
UNDP United Nations Development Program
US United States
YWCA Young Women’s Christian Association
vii Abbreviations | United Nations Development Programme

The TOR further called for the analysis of
the impacts to be qualitative and
1. Introduction and Summary quantitative in scope and to incorporate the
Conclusions results of a set of participatory poverty
This study is a rapid assessment of the assessments conducted earlier by the Belize
impact of the financial and economic crises Enterprise for Sustainable Technology
(FEC) on poverty and vulnerability in key (BEST) in a number of communities in Belize
communities in Belize City and Dangriga City and Dangriga.2 It stipulated the
Town. It was undertaken in accordance following areas of focus for the analysis of
with terms of reference (TOR) at Annex 1 of impact in these communities:
this report and was executed through a a. Economy
combination of research, data analysis and b. Employment and living standards
targeted interviews. The main objectives of c. Housing
the framework for the analysis are to: d. Social welfare assistance
1. Provide evidence-based analysis of e. Demographic and migration trends
the impact of the FEC on vulnerable f. Local governance
populations in order to inform g. Environment (particularly disaster
national social policy development reduction)
and short and medium term
Consistent with the TOR, the research and
interventions that can mitigate
impact on the groups affected;1 and analysis focused on the conditions
prevailing for residents of these
2. Develop an advocacy tool communities. These were supplemented
demonstrating the need to continue with the results of a separate participatory
prioritization of social and human assessment conducted for the Country
development, and to keep the Poverty Assessment (CPA) and undertaken
MDGs on the national agenda. mainly through transect walks and
community consultations.
1
Global Crisis Solutions (nd, p.2) defines All activities outlined in the TOR are
vulnerability as- “…a set of prevailing or necessary to meet the objectives of the
consequential conditions, which adversely affect the
study, however particular emphasis was
community's ability to prevent, mitigate, prepare for
or respond to hazard events. These long-term placed on the three, listed below:
factors, weaknesses or constraints affect a 1. Establishment of a direct link
household's, community's or society’s ability (or
inability) to absorb losses after disasters and to
between the current situation of
recover from the damage. Vulnerability precedes poverty and vulnerability and the
the disaster event and contributes to their severity,
impedes disaster response, and may continue long
after a disaster has struck.” 2
The Belize City communities were (a) Yarborough,
Another useful definition is vulnerability as “the (b) Port Loyola (mainly around the Jane Usher
characteristics of a person or group and their Boulevard), (c) Pickstock, (d) St. Martin De Porres
situation that influence their capacity to anticipate, and (e) Belama Phases III and IV. The Dangriga
cope with, resist and recover from the impact of a communities are (a) Wageirale/Benguche and (b)
natural hazard (At Risk, Wisner et al., 2004: 11).” Back-a-town.
1 Introduction and Summary Conclusions | United Nations Development Programme

achievement of the eight MDGs in Chapter 2 of this report describes the key
key communities in Belize City and macroeconomic factors and related
Dangriga Town; transmission channels through which Belize
was affected by the financial and economic
2. Identification of the negative impact
crisis, and describes economic trends. It
and challenges posed by the
shows that the crisis impacted Belize mainly
economic crisis specifically in terms
though the commodity export and tourism
of poverty and social vulnerability
issues; and sectors and that foreign direct investment
and remittances have also been affected.
3. Suggestion of policy alternatives as There was also a shift to higher levels of
responses to mitigate the negative private sector domestic credit during the
impact of the crisis. crisis period which suggests a contraction in
Tasks 1 and 2 were especially important for trade credits. The chapter also describes
focusing on the quantitative aspects of the the social protection system and recent
study. priorities, showing an emphasis being
placed on improving children’s participation
This report involved the use of in school and health care service, and on
macroeconomic indicators to demonstrate improving efficiency through a single
that (1) the FEC in fact did have an impact information beneficiary registry that would
on Belize; that (2) the impact would filter to reduce duplication and help to better target
the community level. The second stage those most in need.
comprised of using the results of a
participatory poverty assessment Chapter 3 describes those results of the
undertaken previously to determine (3) the participatory poverty assessment which
MDGs for which achievement at the level of have key implications for any of MDGs 1
the same communities would be most through 8. The chapter also presents
affected by the FEC impact and (4) the statistical analysis of the labour force and
extent to which the participants’ perception living standards measurement data for the
of impacts are evident in administrative focus communities in Belize City and
surveys and, where possible, administrative Dangriga aimed at providing evidence that
data. In addition, a stock take was done of supports or counters the perception of the
the current policies and priorities aimed at PPA participants. In the main the
strengthening the social protection system perceptions appear to hold true, and the
to ensure that the needs of the most chapter shows that the FEC is likely to
vulnerable are met. The results of these detract from achievement of MDG 1
analyses together were used to inform the (through lowered income levels), MDG 2
recommendations on policies and programs (through children’s disrupted participation
with a view toward improving the capacity in school), MDG 3 (through increase in
to withstand shocks on the part of those domestic violence), MDG 6 (through
who are most vulnerable. The reduced nutrition, deferring health care
recommendations are also advised by the spending and risky sexual behaviours) and
MDG acceleration framework and are MDG 7 (through the state of housing and
aimed in part at localizing MDG habitat which are exposed to natural
achievement efforts. hazards).
2
Chapter 4 incorporates recommendations
for effective responses and social
protection measures that would mitigate
the impacts of crises and support MDG
achievement from the position of those
within vulnerable urban communities. The
recommendations are aimed at improving
income earning potential and children’s
participation in schools and health clinics,
as well as living conditions. This latter is
important to reducing slum conditions and
improving resilience against natural hazards
so as to avoid disastrous outcomes.
3 Introduction and Summary Conclusions | United Nations Development Programme

sharply between 2007 and 2008. This
2. Macroeconomic and Social coincided with the period during which the
Protection Context food, energy and financial crises occurred.4
Where the weights are concerned, goods
A. Macroeconomic Evidence of and services exports, which typically exceed
Financial and Economic Crises 30% of GDP, expanded to almost 50% in
Belize is an open economy with strong 2007 then declined thereafter (see figure
linkages to the international goods and 2). The expansion reflects a boom in cruise
finance markets. Consequently, changes in tourism whilst the decline followed the
the external environment have an almost financial crisis which started in 2008.
immediate and direct impact on the Transmission channels explored as
national economy. The series of important in the Caribbean context by
participatory poverty assessments in Thomas (2009, p. 20) include trade credits.
communities in Belize
City and Dangriga and Figure 1: Transmission Channel Indicators
2,000.0 90
analysis of
Goods and Services, Private Sector Credit and
Official Grants and Remittances, $BZ millions

80
macroeconomic data
Foreign Investment, $BZ millions
1,500.0
show the channels 70
through which the 60

1,000.0
external changes are 50
transmitted to the local 40
500.0
economy. These are 30
mainly through (1) goods 20
-
and services exports, (2)
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 10
credit to the agriculture
(500.0) 0
and commercial fishing
sectors, (3) direct foreign Good and Services Private Sector Credit
Foreign Investment Official Grants received
investment, (4) official
Remittances
grant receipts and (5)
inward remittances.3 Since data on trade credits for Belize is
virtually non-existent, commercial bank
The importance of these channels and their
loans to the agriculture and commercial
likely impact on the domestic economy is
fishing sector were instead examined.5 This
evident when, their weights in terms of GDP
was done with the expectation that where
and their trend over the 2001 to 2009
trade credits contracted, exporters would
period are considered (see figure 1). Where
turn to the domestic market for alternate
the trends are concerned, exports of goods
and services and inflows of official grants
and foreign direct investment declined
4
Belize depends heavily on commodities (mainly
sugar, citrus, bananas and marine products) and
3 tourism services. Since 2007 also exports of
The mechanics of transmission channels are
petroleum has been significant.
explored in Thomas (2009) and Nissanke and
Thorbeke (2005).
4
Figure 2: Economic Weight of FEC Tranmission are the primary focus of this
Mechanisms
60.00 analysis, those sectors which
employ the poor are
Percent of GDP
40.00 important. These include the

20.00 agriculture and tourism
sectors which were largely
- affected by the FEC (see
2005
2006 figure 3). The mining sector
2007 (reflecting the still relatively
2008
new oil industry) and the
2009
informal sector are also
financing. This analysis in fact shows a significant areas of employment for this
decline in credit to agriculture and population segment.
commercial fishing in 2005 and 2006,
followed by sharp increases to levels past B. Social Protection Strategies and
that of 2001 over the 2007 to 2009 period. Priorities
Interestingly, there were erratic changes in
i. The Institutional Arrangements
export of goods over 2005 to 2009 period. for Social Protection in Belize
These trends suggest- increasing reliance on
domestic resources to offset the effects of The TOR required suggestion of policy
the economic decline. responses to mitigate the negative impacts
of the crisis and this in turn requires an
Foreign direct investment is significant and examination of the current risk
shows a marked decline in 2009. On the management practices and priorities.
other hand, official grants and remittances Effective risk management is vital to ensure
received both carry a very small weight in that external shocks do not cause significant
terms of GDP. Notwithstanding, socioeconomic setbacks and there are a
remittances are recognized as an essential number of agencies fulfilling this vital
resource for those who are most function in Belize. These mainly deliver
vulnerable. This is particularly important in social protection services and operate
light of the fact that the poor and relatively independent of each other.6 Not
vulnerable have far less access to formal all needs are provided for and it is generally
credit, so that remittances would outweigh accepted that less than 100% of those most
private credit in their arsenal of financing
options.
Figure 3: Employment by Industry per 2009 Poverty
The changes resulting from Assessment
external shocks that are evident
Percent of Group Totals
100
at the macro-level of the 80
60
domestic economy also transmit 40
20
0
to communities, particularly 6
Holzman and Jorgensen (2001); World Bank (2003)
through the labour market. For describe a social risk management framework which
the economically disadvantaged includes social protection and non-social Poor
protection
segment of the population who strategies that provide for preventing, Non-Poor
mitigating
against and coping with risk.
5 2. Macroeconomic and Social Protection Context | United Nations Development Programme

in need are covered. hospitals (Northern in Orange Walk, Central
in Belmopan and Southern in Dangriga) and
The main agencies along with their
respective roles and target communities are at a number of polyclinics (such as the
Matron Roberts and Cleopatra White
described below.
Health Centers). Primary care services at
Social Security Board: The Social Security the polyclinics and the regional hospitals
Board administers the contributory fund are provided virtually free of cost, whilst
that provides protection for employed and prices for the KHMH services are set below
self-employed persons. This system market levels.
provides for coverage of maternity and
illness benefits, and for a social security National Health Insurance Service
Providers: These providers are private
pension benefit to be paid at the formal age
of retirement (at age 65 versus pension sector organizations (and at least one
being paid at age 55 on retirement from the government institution) that provide health
public service). It also provides a limited care services to those who qualify, based on
income and other criteria, for national
non-contributory pension to the elderly
health insurance in the limited geographic
based on means testing. In terms of
areas where these services are provided
addressing vulnerabilities, the system’s
(Southside Belize City, Dangriga and
main drawback is that there is no coverage
Toledo).
of the informal sector, although there is
now a provision for non-contributory Ministry of Human Development: The
pension payments to retirement aged men Ministry of Human Development provides
and women who have no means of income. welfare support through its Human
Ministry of Finance: The Ministry provides Development Department to children,
youth and families at risk and to the elderly
part financing for the national health
and the homeless. The support includes a
insurance system and pays non-
very modest cash transfer which is provided
contributory pensions out of recurrent
for a small pool of elderly persons who do
expenditure. There is also ad-hoc financing
not have reliable income or pension.
of major medical expenses provided to
public servants in the event of trauma. In Ministry of Education: Through the
addition, the Ministry’s fiscal policy and Ministry of Education, Government
debt management functions are important provides financing of some 70% of
for maintaining a stable macroeconomic operating costs for non-government schools
environment and are therefore key and 100% for government schools.
components of risk management. Financing is paid in the form of teachers’
salaries for grant-aided primary and
Ministry of Health: The Ministry of Health
part finances the National Health Insurance, secondary (non-government) schools and
carries the full operating cost of full operating cost of government schools.
There is also tuition grants provided to
government run health care facilities and
secondary school students through direct
provides a subsidy to the quasi-public Karl
transfers and to second year students
Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH).
Health care services are delivered at the enrolled in two-year tertiary degree
programs. These are carried out through
main referral hospital, at three regional
6
direct transfers to each school on the basis The Ministry of Natural Resources and the
of enrolment levels. The ministry also Department of the Environment: This
offers a $300 grant to primary school Ministry develops policies, measures,
students based on need, and a number of incentives and disincentives to encourage
scholarships for tertiary education to sustainable land and biodiversity
universities within and outside of Belize. management. In addition to regulations,
the measures include stakeholder
Ministry of Labour: The Ministry of Labour
involvement in co-management of
has embarked on a Decent Work Country
protected areas and through community
Program adopted in June 2009 with
monitoring.
tripartite endorsement by Government, the
Chamber of Commerce and Industry and ii. Current Social Policy Priorities
the National Trade Union Congress of
Belize. The four strategic objectives that Given the autonomy of the agencies and
directly respond to current social challenges lack of interconnectedness of the systems,
and are vital for fulfilling the MDGs and there is significant scope for double dipping,
reducing poverty are7: in terms of clients accessing several
measures. There are attempts at targeting,
a. Promoting and realizing standards
but it is generally recognized that those
and fundamental principles and
who are most vulnerable are still not the
rights at work;
main beneficiaries receiving support. A
b. Creating greater opportunities for number of programs being undertaken
women and men to secure decent currently are aimed at addressing
employment and incomes; deficiencies; so that the vulnerable and
c. Enhancing the coverage and under-resourced population receive the
effectiveness of social protection for bulk of the support provided. These
all; and initiatives are concentrated in the
d. Strengthening of tripartite education and social service areas.
arrangements and social dialogue.
Strengthening the Social Protection System
The Social Investment Fund: The Social
 The key social protection agency,
Investment Fund is one of main the
the Ministry of Human Development
channels for community development
and Social Transformation, is
initiatives. The SIF’s portfolio of projects
currently undertaking initiatives
includes rural water systems and
aimed at improving its operational
retrofitting of schools and community
effectiveness. These include (a) an
centres.
assessment of the Ministry’s
organizational capacity (b) an
assessment of the Ministry’s
programs and operating procedures
7
This follows the Tripartite Declaration and Plan of and (c) an assessment of its
Action for realizing the Decent Work Agenda in the information technology resources to
Caribbean (see Tripartite Declaration and Plan of strengthen its planning and
Action for Decent Work in the Caribbean. Barbados, targeting capacities. Assessment of
12 October 2006).

these three components aims to determine whether total income
facilitate performance improvement amount to less than the $35.00
measures that will help to serve weekly per person per household.
clients better.  In addition, the Ministry is
 In addition to the diagnostics developing a ‘Conditional Cash
indicated, the Ministry is also Transfer’ program for the indigent.
undertaking an assessment to The necessary background and
strengthen knowledge and prerequisites for implementation
awareness of the conditions of are currently underway prior to the
current and potential clients and the introduction of the pilot.
challenges they face. This  The Government of Belize with
assessment would provide and assistance from the Inter-American
opportunity to improve ways of Development Bank under its Social
adequately meeting needs. Policy Support Program has begun
Improving Public Assistance Coverage the process of setting up a Single
Beneficiary Registry (SBR). The main
 The public and social assistance objectives are to design plans for the
programs executed through the establishment of a Single
Department of Human Services have Information System for Beneficiaries
been upgraded to facilitate (SISB) and to implement the plans by
improvement in the level of benefits conducting surveys in the Stann
paid to individuals and families. Creek and Toledo Districts. The
Another key measure aimed at project is still in its embryonic stage
improving social protection is the and is currently working on the
newly introduced provision under structure and direction for project
the social assistance program to take.
provide a package of basic food item
 The introduction of new programs
worth $25.00 at half price. This
for assistance in the form of
measure will be piloted in the South
financing or goods is the easiest,
Side of Belize City for one year
quickest way to alleviate immediate
beginning in October 2010. A
suffering. Striking a balance
review and evaluation is set for
between providing short term
January 2011 to look at food type
assistance and longer term
and needs, cultural and other
sustainable development programs,
factors, which may affect the
to eventually relieve some of the
program and subsequently influence
public burden is critical8.
the budget process.
 The last poverty assessment
indicated that a person can survive
off BZ$35.00 per week. To qualify  8
Interview with A. Pennil Director
for the assistance, vulnerable Department of Human Development
households on the south side of October, 2010
Belize City will be assessed to
8
Improving Education Access and Equity
 Establishment of a Teacher
Education Board is proposed and
under consultation. This measure
aims at enabling improved quality in
teaching delivery and increased
effectiveness management of the
teaching corps.
 Formulation of amendments to the
school financing mechanism for
secondary schools is also underway.
These measures are intended to
support expanded access to
secondary education from the
current situation where 2 out of 5
persons of the relevant age cohort
attend secondary school. When
tuition grants were first initiated
they were based on the then current
disparate levels of tuition fees
rather than a formula that would
have accounted, inter-alia, for the
cost of education delivery. The
absence of a formula served to
reinforce the existing inequities.

There is also indication of over-crowding of
homes which would classify them as slums;
3. Community Level Evidence of moreover, many of the houses are observed
Financial and Economic Crises and to appear poorly constructed—highly
Impacts susceptible to wind and water damage and
not adequate for shelter during tropical
A. Participatory Poverty
disturbances.
Assessments Results and MDG
Linkages The main ways in which the crisis appears
The PPAs show the main underlying to directly affect chances for MDG
conditions and risks prevalent in the focus achievement at the community level and to
communities to be the environmental have increased vulnerability are set out
conditions of their living habitat and the below. The implications for poverty
social risks posed by predatory behaviours eradication are organized per relevant MDG
on the part of adults outside the home who and respective targets. A snapshot of the
pull at the youths to engage in illegal issues and the MDGs impacted can be
activity. This refers especially to drug found at Annex 4.
dealers and gang leaders who consistently
i. Poverty Reduction
attempt to recruit the children from within
these communities. Notably, these risks Number of persons living below the
preceded the onset of the financial and poverty line
economic crisis, but appear to have become  Participants all indicate that they are
more intense after its onset. experiencing a decline in real
income and therefore living “hand
Given the objective of contributing to
to mouth”, i.e. at subsistence levels.
advocacy for and prioritization of the
MDGs, analysis and reporting on the issues Proportion of people suffering from
above was targeted toward identifying hunger
implications of the FEC impact for Belize’s  The participants indicate that other
chance of achieving the MDGs and on family members provide for them,
formulating mitigation measures that and that they opt for cheaper food.
contribute to improvement in that regard. This situation suggests declines in
The PPA reports showed that changes and the nutritional value and/or level of
responses to the crises within the calorie intake. This could results in
communities manifest especially in areas undernourishment and malnutrition,
related to primary and secondary education which could in turn lead to higher
(MDG 2), poverty (MDG 1) and vulnerability susceptibility to communicable
and health (MDG 6). There is also diseases and risks of non-
significant impact on women and children in communicable diseases such as
the form of domestic violence which diabetes, heart diseases and kidney
impedes gender equity (MDG 3) and in turn distress.
affects education (MDG 2) and health (MDG
4), and by extension poverty (MDG 1).
10
Share of women in wage employment in
ii. Universal Education
the non-agricultural sector
Ratios of girls to boys in primary education
 There is a perception by the female
 Some participants indicate that participants that the differential
children are ‘kept back’ from school between men and women’s wages
(at the primary level) because of a has been increasing in recent years.
lack of clothes, shoes and/or other
resources. While mention was made iv. Reducing HIV/AIDS,
of this coping strategy in several of Tuberculosis, Malaria and other
the UNDP commissioned PPAs, the diseases
number of respondents indicating Condom use at last high risk sex
this as a measure in the CPA
 PPA participants indicate an
community meetings and transect
observed increase in levels of
walks was minimal.
prostitution. If one infers that, as
 Parents indicate that they are has been confirmed in other
finding it increasingly difficult to find Caribbean countries, a significant
the lump sums needed to finance proportion of these encounters are
the transition from primary to without the protection of condoms,
secondary levels. a further deduction can be that they
 Participants assert that over the can lead to higher health risks for
recent years, there been an increase contracting HIV/AIDS and other
in trafficking of young girls by their sexually transmitted diseases.
parents.  Another response to the recent
 Participants recount incidences of declines in employment and income
child abuse and indicate an increase levels indicated by participants is
in levels. While this is not an MDG postponement in seeking healthcare
indicator, it no doubt affects school in order to reduce expenditures.
performance and therefore poses a
Have halted by 2015 and began to reduce
risk to the achievement of MDG 2.
the spread of Dengue and Malaria
iii. Gender Equality and Women  Participants assert that incidences of
Empowerment Dengue and Malaria are evident in
 Participants assert knowledge of their communities. This perception
increase incidences of domestic is confirmed in part by a spike in the
violence against women. This can rate of Dengue from 3.7 per 100,000
directly undermine achievement of to 12.1 per 100,000 at the national
gender equity indicator for reducing level between 2006 and 2008, and
incidence of domestic violence per from 8.9 per 100,000 to 35.2 per
agreed targets for the Caribbean. 100,000 in Belize City over the same
period (Office of Director of Health
11 3. Community Level Evidence of Financial and Economic Crises and Impacts | United Nations
Development Programme
Services, Epidemiology Unit, 2007; The changes and strategies adopted point
ibid, 2009). to the areas and types of interventions that
 Participants also point to increases should be developed to reduce the impact
in stress levels. This can lead to of the crisis and to support families to re-
increased incidences of stress construct their lives and build resilience
related diseases, which is consistent against future exogenous shocks.9 In the
with the noted prevalence of non- main, they imply a need for stronger social
communicable diseases amongst the safety net provisions to support improved
top five causes of death in the earning capacity of the least advantaged,
country. ensuring children complete all levels of
education and improving housing and
v. Environmental Sustainability habitat conditions. Current and prospective
Proportion of urban population living in social safety net provisions and
slums recommendations for specific areas of
change are explored in later chapters of this
 Some homes in the areas where report.
participants of the PPAs reside are
described as ‘makeshift wooden B. Statistical Analysis
houses’, and ‘houses and shacks
The results of the PPAs were used as
made of substandard material’. In
indicators for the empirical investigation of
addition to these observations by
the impacts of the crisis on the same
the facilitators of the PPAs,
communities using labour force survey (LFS)
participants cite observations of
data. Since the food and energy crises
increases in over-crowding and the
occurred in 2007 and the financial crisis in
implementation of ‘shifts’ in some
2008, data from the 2006 LFS was used to
homes in order to allow all persons a
establish a profile of the communities prior
chance to rest.
to the events. The analysis sought to
vi. Vulnerability related changes identify key features of respondents from
and/or coping strategies the same communities from which the PPA
 Participants acknowledge higher participants were drawn. To achieve this,
dependence on remittances in enumeration districts (EDs) which fit within
recent years. the boundaries used for the PPA were
 The practice of begging is observed
as being on the rise. It is interesting 9
to note that participants indicated a An exogenous shock is defined by the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) as “a sudden event beyond the
perception of begging by women control of the authorities that has a significant
being more readily accepted than negative impact on the economy.” In addition to
begging by men. this definition, further understanding can be gleaned
 Engagement in illicit and illegal from the very definition of exogenous—which
Merriam-Webster defines as “introduced from or
livelihoods activities are increasing produced outside an organism or system
(sale of drugs, stealing and (http://www.merriam-
gambling). webster.com/dictionary/exogenous, downloaded
August 2, 2010).
12
identified. This could be successfully done Once the profile or key features of the 2006
for all of the communities except Belama, LFS household and individual survey
where there was only a single large respondents from the areas where PPAs
enumeration district that included relatively were conducted had been undertaken,
affluent neighbourhoods such as the analysis of the 2009 LFS data was
Buttonwood Bay area. This made it attempted. This was intended to identify
impossible to separate data for the Belama key features of households and individuals
Phase III and IV neighbourhoods for which a from within the same neighbourhoods that
PPA was conducted.10 The PPA areas which PPAs were conducted, as well as differences
informed the analyses therefore are those from the profiles of the 2006 LFS
listed below. Maps of these areas, as well respondents. Due to data limitations,
as of the Belama community, can be found however, it was only possible to identify key
at Annex 5, whilst frequency tables features and differences at the household
generated through the statistical analyses level.
can be found at Annexes 6 and 7. The analysis aimed to verify both the
Belize City impact on the communities implicit in the
macroeconomic analysis and the results of
1. Port Loyola (mainly around the Jane
Usher Boulevard) the participatory poverty assessments. To
this end, attempts were made to determine
2. Yarborough (mainly along the sea
the following:
front)
3. St. Martin de Porres (an area within 1. Underlying vulnerabilities of the
the Lake Independence communities;
constituency) 2. Correlation between income and
4. Pickstock (a portion of the political key variables linked to any of MDGs
division) 1 through 8;
3. Extent of changes in a number of the
Dangriga Town
key variables linked to MDGs related
1. Wageirale-Benguche to those conditions where the PPAs
2. Back-a-Town indicated changes since the onset of
the crisis; and
4. Correlation between income and the
10
It is to be noted too that enumeration districts variables a) immigrant status, b)
were reconfigured for the implementation of the dependence on remittances, c)
2010 census. Where Belama is concerned, the informal sector employment, d) self-
original large ED is now configured into
employment and e) access to
approximately four new EDs. These allow for
separation of the various Belama communities government programs.
(Phases I, II, III and IV). This reconfiguration will Overall, the analysis sought to measure the
apply to surveys undertaken subsequent to the
census only. There was therefore no corrective extent of changes in income and in key
measure available to allow for inclusion of Belama variables linked to MDG achievement
ED data in most of the analysis for this study. within the communities since 2006. This
was done in an effort to examine from a
“baseline” that preceded the onset of the 8. What is the extent of change in
food and energy crises, which both occurred ethnic make-up of respondents in
in 2007 and which preceded the financial the communities over 2006 to 2009?
and economic crisis. The specific questions
which drove the query and statistical i. The 2006 Status
analysis are set out below. Households in PPA Focus Group
1. What are the differences in housing, Communities in the Belize City
education, the possession of Results of survey questions related to
communication and information household conditions for those EDs in the
technology equipment for all communities from which PPA participants
participants in the LFS and those were drawn were compared to those for all
living in the areas, which the PPA Belize City EDs. A higher percentage (5.6
focused on? What changes are percentage points) of the PPA communities
evident in those differences either owned or leased their homes or
between 2006 and 2009? What is squatted. Furthermore, there was virtually
the implication in terms of the no difference (0.2 percentage points)
impact of the FEC and the increases between homes that had water closets in
in energy and food prices? the areas where PPAs were conducted and
2. What were the predominant those of all LFS respondents.
livelihoods occupations in 2006 and Notwithstanding, there was a significantly
2009 of those persons living in the higher percentage (2.8%) of homes with
neighbourhoods that were the focus neither water closet or pit latrines in the
of the 2010 participatory poverty areas were PPAs were undertaken than in
assessments? the homes of all Belize City labour LFS
3. Which of the MDGs are most respondents combined (0.7%).
impacted by the disadvantages and The proportion of PPA communities with
survival strategies of the residents of access to piped water was slightly higher
the areas of focus of the PPA? (96.5%) than that of the full dataset
4. To what extent do LFS results for the (95.7%). A lower proportion of the
2006 – 2009 years coincide with respondents in EDs within the PPA areas
LSMS/CPA findings of predominance indicated use of standpipe and hand
of informal sector in occupations of pumps: 2.1% and 51.7% respectively for the
urban poor? PPA communities compared to 2.9% and
5. To what extent have the 63.0% respectively for the total dataset. A
communities accessed government slightly higher percentage (23.8) of the
assistance during the period 2006 to households from the focus communities
2009? had access to covered vats and drums.
6. What are the implications of living Interestingly, these households indicated
habitat conditions for the MDGs? higher levels of access to purified water
7. What is the change in proportion of (79.7%) than did all the EDs in the city
persons in the communities born (74%). Most importantly, however, is that
outside of Belize? the percentage of these respondents that
14
indicated purified, bottled water as their those living in the same communities who
main source of drinking water was lower were born outside of Belize, 2.6% were
(60.8%) than the percentage of all Belize born in Central America. By comparison,
City LFS respondents citing this as their the proportion of all Belize City respondents
main source (66.9%). A full one quarter who were born in neighbouring Central
(25.9%) of the PPA communities used piped American countries was 3.6%.
water as their main source of drinking
Those from the PPA communities who were
water compared to the proportion of all
self-employed or owned businesses made
Belize City LFS respondents (21.3%).
up 24.4% of the residents of the same areas
Furthermore, a significant 11.9% use
whereas 27.0% of respondents in Belize City
covered drum, vat or well as their main
owned their own businesses. There were
source.
slightly more government and private
Where telephone lines and computers are sector employed persons living in the same
concerned, the proportions with access and areas (portions of Port Loyola, Pickstock and
possession within the EDs covering the PPA Lake Independence) than in all of Belize
areas were 56.6% and 14.7%, respectively, City. A full 1.9 percentage points less of the
compared to 61.5% and 26.6% for the full respondents from the PPA communities
dataset. were employed by statutory bodies than
were so employed in the city as a whole.
Individuals in PPA Focus Group
Communities in the Belize City The proportions of those surveyed in the
PPA communities who were employed in
In terms of ethnicity, there were higher Tourism, Manufacturing and Agriculture
proportions of Creole and East Indian were higher than the proportions in the
residents of the PPA communities than same industries in all of Belize City.
there were in the full LFS sample, and a Reflecting this, the proportion of residents
significantly lower population of Mestizos. in these areas who cited occupations as
There were also slightly lower proportions Agriculture and Forestry Workers and Plant
of Garifuna and Asians. The difference in and Machinery Operators were much
the proportion of Maya population in both higher (23.4% and 17.9%, respectively) than
groups was minimal, and whilst there were the proportions of all Belize City LFS
marginal proportions of Caucasians and respondents with the same occupations
Mennonite in the full dataset, none of these (2.1% and 6.7%, respectively).
ethnic groups were represented in the PPA
communities. Previous occupations cited by PPA
community respondents showed the same
Despite a wide variety of countries of origin degree of differences in these two
represented in the full dataset, only ten occupations—Agriculture and Fisheries and
were cited by the respondents in the PPA Plant and Machine Operators—between
communities as their country of birth. Of the two groups. Interestingly, however, the
the respondents from these communities, highest proportions of respondents in both
95% were born in Belize. This is a full 7.4 the PPA communities and the full set of
percentage point more than the 87.4% of all Belize City LFS respondents indicated a
Belize City respondents born in Belize. Of
desire to shift to the occupation of service higher proportion of the PPA communities
workers and shop sales workers and craft rely on savings and on spouses, partners
and related occupations. A slightly higher and other sources of income than in all of
proportion of the PPA community Belize City.
respondents wanted to shift to occupations
in the technicians and associate category Coping Strategies of PPA Focus Group
and in the agriculture and forestry category Communities in Belize City
than the proportion of respondents for the
Coping strategies which were relied on
entire city wishing to do so. Of further
significantly more by those Belize City LFS
interest, a full 2.2 percentage points less of
respondents living in the geographic areas
the respondents in the PPA communities
from which PPA participants were drawn
were looking to occupations as clerks than
than by all respondents were the following:
that of the entire Belize
City.
Figure 4: Comparative Coping Stratgies-Belize City
Comparison of the
years of completion of
schooling between the 60.0
PPA communities’
Percent
respondents and those 40.0

for all of Belize City
20.0
shows that the former
group had a higher .0
proportion of those
who completed eight
years of schooling
(primary level), than the
latter group, but lower
proportions of those
All Belize City Eds
completing twelve (high
school level), fourteen
(Sixth Form/Associates) request for assistance from relatives living
and Sixteen (University/First Degree). It in Belize, foregoing necessities, not paying
was important to underscore that the bills on time or ceasing payment of bills (see
assumption on levels implied by the Figure 4). Of further note is that the
brackets here do not take account of proportion of the wider set of respondents
repetition. that cited savings, praying and hustling as
Finally, examination of income levels shows coping strategies was significantly higher
that the lowest 50% of the respondents than that of the PPA focus areas.
from the focus group communities earn There was virtually no difference between
$1,079 per month or less whereas the the proportions that relied on selling assets.
lowest 50% of all Belize City respondents Of most concern from the perspective of
earn $1,439 per month or less. Also, a risk to MDG achievement, however, is that
16
although the difference is small, a higher which limited the analysis. Furthermore,
proportion of those living in the areas from the fit of enumeration district for the Back-
which the PPA respondents were drawn A-Town area was not as close as it was with
indicated they rely on holding children back the Belize City EDs to the PPA focus group
from attending school. This is consistent areas there. In fact the ED which
with the findings of a separate PPA incorporated Back-A-Town also included
conducted by the National Assessment areas to the East, West and South of the
Team as a part of the country poverty PPA boundary (see map of area South by
assessment process (see Box 1). Havannah River to Salmwood Street, Annex
5). This therefore included more
economically affluent areas such as the
It is interesting to note also that whilst a Front Street.
percentage of all Belize City respondents to
the 2006 LFS indicated use of illegal Some 13 to 25 households in the EDs that
activities as a coping mechanism, no covered Wageirale-Benguche and Back-a-
respondent from the areas where the PPAs Town responded to questions regarding
Box 1: Coping and Children’s Education

“…it is noticeable that reasons relating to poverty (e.g. truancy, lack of money/uniform,
home duties and work) which overall accounted for 14% of the reasons for missing school
were more prevalent (20%) in the lowest quintile, i.e. amongst indigent households. The
average number of days missed is around 3, less than one per week. However the PPAs
revealed that the need for children to work or undertake home duties is often manifest not
in absence from school but in late arrival and sleeping and inattentiveness during classes.
Country Poverty Assessment, section 4.7, p.85
were undertaken did so. This is contrary to ownership of houses and land, and sewer
the findings of the PPA conducted through system and telephone and internet access.
the CPA process (see Box 2) and may reflect In these cases, as well as that of questions
respondents’ reluctance to cite such activity which garnered the smallest number of
for fear of repercussions. Another point of respondents (of 4 persons) and which are
interest is that the proportion of not included in the analysis here, PPA area
respondents from the PPA areas that rely
on politicians for help is lower than those
for all of Belize City. Box 2: Coping and Illegal Activities
Across the board, the PPAs showed that
Households in PPA Focus Group
some individuals and households were
Communities in the Dangriga
involved in illegal activities as a
The number of household responses for supplementary means of supporting the
those communities in which the PPAs were meagre income.
conducted in Dangriga was very small, Country Poverty Assessment, p. 99
respondents accounted for at least 10% of and Back-A-Town areas of Dangriga was
the total LFS respondents in all of Dangriga small, but for the most part totalled more
Town. than 10% of the total 2006 LFS respondents
living in Dangriga Town. As with the PPA
In the main, the responses showed higher
communities in Belize City, the proportion
percentage of ownership or lease of houses
of Creoles and East Indians the PPA
and land by those persons living in the two
communities in Dangriga Town were higher
areas that PPAs were conducted than for all
than the percentage of the entire town. On
Dangriga Town respondents. The number of
the other hand, there were slightly higher
respondents from these areas that
proportions of Mestizo and Caucasian
indicated use of pit latrines (8.3%) was
respondents in these areas than in all of
lower than that of all Dangriga respondents
Dangriga town. A smaller percentage of the
(15.8%). Unlike the case with PPA areas in
respondents in the PPA communities were
Belize City, none of the respondents from
born in Belize than the percentage of the
the Dangriga PPA focus areas indicated that
same group in all Dangriga respondents:
they had no toilet facilities.
86.8% compared to 89.4%.
There were no significant differences in the
A significantly lower proportion (14.7%) of
percentages of households with telephone
the residents in the PPA communities in
installed in their homes between the
Dangriga owned their own businesses or
respondents from the areas in Dangriga
were self-employed than the proportion
from which the PPA participants were
(30%) of all Dangriga respondents that did.
drawn and those from all of Dangriga Town.
Moreover, there were higher proportions of
On the other hand, the proportion in the
government employees, and those working
PPA areas with access to computers was a
at statutory agencies or in the private
full 5.0 percentage points more than that of
sector living in the PPA communities than
all Dangriga Town respondents.
the proportion of all Dangriga respondents.
A significantly higher proportion of the PPA
Those working in transport, financial
communities (8.4%) indicated standpipes
intermediation, general government
and covered vats, drums or wells as their
services and community, social and
main source of drinking water compared to
personal services made up a higher
the proportion (4.5%) of all Dangriga Town
proportion of LFS respondents from the
LFS respondents. There were no differences
Wageirale-Benguche and Back-a-Town
between the proportion citing bottled
areas than in all of Dangriga. The
water as their main source whereas more of
proportions of respondents from the same
all Dangriga Town respondents (66.2%)
areas working in other sectors were lower,
cited piped water as their main source than
and except for the citrus industry, there
the proportion of the PPA communities that
were no respondents working in the
did.
primary sectors (agriculture, fishing and
Individuals in PPA Focus Group mining).
Communities in the Dangriga The percentage of residents of the
The number of respondents in the PPA Wageirale-Benguche areas who completed
communities of the Wageirale-Benguche eight years of schooling was slightly lower
18
than those in the entire town, and the in 2006 where residents of the PPA areas
proportions completing twelve and sixteen appeared to have less access to
years were higher. communication than those for all Belize City
was unchanged.
Coping Strategies of PPA Focus Group
Communities in Dangriga The percentage of respondents both from
all Belize City and the PPA areas with
There were only four respondents to the computers in the home increased from
coping question in the 2006 LFS from the 2006 to 2009. Furthermore, whilst the
area where the PPAs were conducted. As a percentage of homes with computers in
result, no analysis was done of coping those areas where PPAs were undertaken
strategies in Dangriga Town. was lower than that for all respondents, a
ii. The 2009 Status smaller difference recorded between the
level of access of the two groups in 2009
Households in PPA Focus Group (7.1 percentage points) than was noted in
Communities in the Belize City 2006 (11.9 percentage points).
As in 2006, higher proportions of those who A significantly lower proportion of the
live in the areas from which the PPA Belize City 2009 LFS respondents cited
participants were drawn indicated through piped water as their main source of
the 2009 LFS that they either owned or drinking water than in 2006, and a higher
leased their homes and lands compared to proportion indicated their source as
all Belize City survey respondents. A slightly purified bottled water. On the other hand,
higher proportion also indicated their the proportions of the households in areas
homes had water closets. Compared to where PPAs were conducted that cited
2006, the proportion of respondents with piped water as the main source in 2009 was
water closets from the areas where the almost the same as that for 2006. Reliance
PPAs were undertaken was the same at on bottled water was higher in 2009 than in
2.8%. On the other hand, the proportion of 2006 for this group also, whilst use of
all Belize City respondents with no toilet covered vats, drums and wells was
facility (water closet or pit latrine) was significantly lower.
higher (1.3%) than in 2006 (0.7%).
Reflecting the trend across the Caribbean of
preference for cellular service over fixed
lines, the percentage of Belize City
household LFS respondents with telephone
was lower in 2009 than in 2006. This
included those areas where PPAs were
conducted. Notwithstanding, the
proportion of 2009 respondents with fixed
line connections in the PPA communities
was lower than that for all respondents.
This implies that the overall situation noted
areas was lower than that for all Belize City
4. Key Risk Management Issues, respondents, the differences were not
Identified Changes and significant enough to be alarming. In
addition, the CPA showed the informal
Recommended Measures
sector as a major source of employment for
A. Key Issues and Identified the poor. These factors together
Changes underscore the enabling conditions for self-
employment as a critical component for
i. Economy ensuring improved income generating
Whilst income data was not available for capacities of residents of these areas.
analysis from the 2009 LFS, the responses in iv. Education
the PPA sessions as well as the results of
the country poverty assessment (CPA) show The average years of schooling of 2006 LFS
that the economic situation has become respondents from those areas where PPAs
more acute. The CPA results confirm this were conducted was lower than the
change over the past decade, but the PPAs average in all of Belize City. As well, the
conducted by Belize Enterprise for income levels were also lower suggesting a
Sustainable Technology suggest that the need for measures toward improving access
increased pressure has been more acute to education. Moreover, the predominance
over the latter part of the decade. This of average years of schooling of eight years
coincides with the onset of the financial over those of twelve and sixteen suggest
crisis. that many respondents did not attend high
school. When combined with coping
ii. Employment and Living Standards strategies of holding children back from
Whilst no data was available for comparison school, this suggests the need for specific
of the 2009 average incomes to those for measures to promote access to and
2006, the knowledge that average incomes participation in secondary schools and
of those persons who live in the PPA focus beyond.
areas were lower than that for all survey v. Housing, Water and Sanitation
respondents in 2006 is important. This
suggests that there is less likelihood that The higher proportion of house and land
these residents would have a financial ownership amongst PPA areas is notable
buffer against shocks. This impression is and may be counter-intuitive. This feature
reinforced by the fact that use of savings is may reflect two factors. The first would be
one of the lowest ranked coping strategies that these areas, with the exception of
for respondents from the PPA focus areas. Belama in Belize City, and Wageirale in
It also coincides with PPA participants’ Dangriga, are among the earliest settled. A
description of their own existence as “hand second factor is that land ownership in part
to mouth”, or barely at subsistence level. represents a risk mitigation strategy.
Ownership is often sought by Belizeans in
iii. Self Employment and Entrepreneurship order to ensure that shelter is secured.
Although the proportion of 2006 LFS
respondents from the PPA focus group
20
vi. Access to Communication and tertiary public sector services are all heavily
Technology subsidized) and education. Use of these
Whilst levels of access to communication services constitutes access to social welfare
and technology appear to have improved assistance but may not be considered or
between 2006 and 2009, there is a need for cited as such by respondents.
improved income levels that will enable x. Local Governance
equity in access between those residents of
the PPA focus group communities and the The responses to questions of whether any
rest of the urban population, especially in assistance has been accessed from
Belize City. politicians suggest that there is little
reliance on officials for coping by PPA
vii. Susceptibility to Natural Disasters participants. This result is counterintuitive
The ownership status notwithstanding, the in light of a widely held belief that the less
housing and habitat conditions described by advantaged are the main clients of weekly
the PPA facilitators suggest significant need clinics of their area representatives. It is
for housing conditions of the PPA focus area believed, moreover, that these visits are
residents to be improved in order to often in search of financial assistance to
mitigate disaster risk and to cope with address utility bills, among other things.
catastrophic events. The effects of xi. Remittances and Social Capital
Hurricane Richard on the homes and
livelihoods of residents of the Yarborough Whilst remittances was expected to feature
community, one of the PPA areas, reinforce strongly as a means of coping for the
this need. communities examined, their responses
indicate a lower reliance on relatives living
viii. Demographic and Migration Trends abroad and more frequent access domestic
It is notable that the proportions of support system. This implies that there is
migrants are lower in the areas where the still a fair level of social capital which can be
PPAs were undertaken, and that moreover factored into solutions for improvement.
where migrant populations are identified,
B. Measures for Mitigation of FEC
they are predominantly from neighbouring
Impacts
Central American countries. These features
are especially marked in Belize City, The key objective of this analysis is the
whereas there appears to be less distinction identification of the impact of the FEC on
in Dangriga Town. vulnerability and poverty. In this regard the
analysis shows lower average income levels
ix. Social Welfare Assistance and years of schooling in the communities
The low proportions indicating access to in which the PPAs were conducted than in
social assistance is notable. Consideration the rest of the urban areas of Belize City
must be taken of the fact also that survey and Dangriga. In addition coping strategies
questions may not be couched around use used by the residents of these areas result
of heavily subsidized services, such as in the in loss of nutritional intake and children’s
areas of health (primary, secondary and time in schools. These pose further threat
21 4. Key Risk Management Issues, Identified Changes and Recommended Measures | United Nations
to any effort to improve income levels and included. This institution should be
to health levels. The latter suggest further a credible and financially sound non-
risk of remaining locked into poverty cycle. profit or a window at a credit union.
The most pressing needs for mitigation are  Small grant program to provide
toward supplementing and supporting training and seed funding to women:
permanent increases in income levels. Women entrepreneurs from the
Based on the analysis, measures to support communities of concern should be
mitigation against the FEC impacts must be supported through training grants
focused on supporting communities to cope and seed funding for a viable
with shocks and to acquire the means to economic activity. A viable agency
generate and/or diversify income. The for channeling such funds and for
latter suggests the need for tools to build coordinating the training could be
human capital and financial asset, which are the Young Women’s Christian
key mitigation strategies. Association (YWCA).
 Expansion of Small Grants Program
One of the main measures for addressing
at Youth Business Trust and through
families’ coping strategy of holding children
the Development Finance
back would be a conditional cash transfer
Corporation to pilot new and
which is under development, and being
targeted special programs, with the
piloted to an extent in Belize City. This
objective of alleviating the
program will hinge especially on children’s
difficulties in ‘poorer’ communities.
attendance in schools and health clinics,
This would enable the youths and
and can be one of the single most effective
aspiring entrepreneurs to access
measures undertaken.
startup funds for businesses to
Other initiatives that could be implemented become self-sufficient.
to support increase in earning potential  Pool procurement: Existing
include for immediate impact: artisanship and other micro-credit
 A funded training program in a operations can benefit from pooling
viable trade: For immediate impact, procurement requests to reduce
an activity which the residents of cost. To ensure adequate levels of
the communities are skilled in or can trust and continuity, a non-profit
be easily trained for, and which has institution could anchor the
good market potential, should be procurement process.
identified and built on in terms of  Community Housing Improvement
economic a training program. Program: A variation of the Habitat
 A rotating savings credit program for Humaity approach should be
used to finance a trade: Using a developed for areas where
value chain approach, financing improvement in housing conditions
options for the same activity needs are most acute. This measure
identified should be established. A is one of the most urgent in terms of
rotating-saving-credit arrangement mitigation against disaster risk.
anchored in an institution may be
22
Toward medium-long term impact and effort to establish a conditional cash
systemic improvement in income and living transfer program and SISB. In light of the
conditions: pull on the youth indicated through the
PPA, however, these programs will need to
 Business Incubators: This initiative
be injected with conflict resolution
could include identification of
components.
funding for national business
incubators for small and medium
enterprise exporters. Care would
have to be taken to ensure that the
measures of the incubator promote
graduation within a specific period
and that the beneficiaries are aware
of, agree to and comply with
requirements for disclosing business
plans and progress with mentors
and for receiving and applying
recommendations for improvement
of plans and plan compliance as they
progress. Another avenue could be
the promotion of use of an
international incubator that is
established to support transnational
business. This could be a measure
aimed at more established
businesses, however, and the
returns in terms of additional
employment generated in Belize
may have less impact.
Finally, there is a pressing need to build
social capital and strengthen organizations
that can work at the community levels, such
as non-government organizations (NGOs)
and community groups. The reliance of the
respondents on local residents and to a
lesser extent on politicians for help in terms
of coping suggests that their support base
must be easily accessible and trusted.
Developing or strengthening community
level organs that can collaborate in areas
such as housing improvement and skills
training may be one of the single most
important measure, aside from the ongoing
23 4. Key Risk Management Issues, Identified Changes and Recommended Measures | United Nations
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Attachment VII, The Working Document for the Seventeenth Meeting of the Council for Human
and Social Development (COHSOD), (Council for Human and Social Development,
Georgetown, Guyana, 2008).
Understanding Vulnerability - Ensuring Appropriate and Effective Responses, (Global Crisis
Solutions).
Country Poverty Assessment (unpublished), (Government of Belize and Caribbean Development
Bank, June 2010).
Robert Holzman and Steen Jorgensen, Social Risk Management: A New Conceptual Framework
for Social Protection and Beyond, (World Bank, 2000).
Machiko Nissanke and Erik Thorbeke, The Impact of Globalization on the World’s Poor:
Transmission Mechanisms, (2000).
Belize Basic Indicators 2008, (Office of Director of Health Service, Epidemiology Unit, Ministry of
Health, Belize, 2009).
Belize Basic Indicators 2006, (Belize, 2007).
C.Y. Thomas, Global Economic Crisis: CARICOM Impacts and Responses, (2009).
Ben Wisner, Pierres Blaikie, Terry Cannon and Ian Davis, At Risk - Natural Hazards, People’s
Vulnerability and Disaster, (2005).
24
Annex 1: Approach to the Analysis
The approach used to meet the objectives and outputs set out in the TOR are described below.
1. Determination of the four transmission channels through which the FEC had the most
significant impact on Belize: The sources of data and analysis include:
a. Central Bank of Belize Annual Reports - macroeconomic analysis, balance of
payments statistics and trends, monetary aggregate trends, fiscal and public
sector debt trends
b. Statistical Institute of Belize - labour force statistics, domestic production and
prices, international merchandise trade, living standards measurement
c. Reports - country poverty assessments and participatory poverty assessment
2. Establishment of links through which the macro-level impacts directly affect social and
economic conditions at the community level: To meet the TOR requirement of ensuring
that the recommended measures to redress the support MDG achievement, this step
includes identification of the specific MDGs affected.
3. Examination of community level changes that can be attributed to the FEC based on the
country poverty and participatory poverty assessments. The communities used to
identify the changes are those for which participatory poverty assessments were
undertaken through initiative of the Ministry of Economic Development and the United
Nations Development Program. The communities are-
4. Research and analysis of data and information to identify and measure trends in
indicators which show extent of socioeconomic vulnerability and FEC impact at the
community level: Sources would include:
a. Living standards survey and/or labour force surveys;
b. Household survey;
c. Information and/or interviews from key social sector ministries
i. Ministry of Human Development - Statistics and historical data on supply
of and demand for financial support to families in need; and
ii. Ministry of Education - Education Statistics for schools located in key
urban areas.
5. An Examination of the relevant policies and programs that influence conditions at the
micro / community level and of communities’ access to resources and assets.
6. An Assessment of institutional frameworks of agencies with strong links to the
communities to determine the extent to which they are able to help communities
respond to the FEC impact. Such agencies will include:
a. Local Government (city and town councils)
b. Government and NGO operated health and education facilities.
c. Financial intermediation and technical support agencies (this group would
include Credit Unions and NGOs).
25 Annex 1: Approach to the Analysis | United Nations Development Programme

7. Assessment of adequacy of policies, programs and levels of community access in terms
of responsiveness to external shocks, and particularly to the changes attributable to the
FEC.
8. Identification of areas where responses have been less than optimal and/or where
significant improvements can be realized, particularly toward improving MDG
achievement efforts and thereby ameliorating levels of vulnerability and poverty.
9. Formulation of report on key macro and micro level trends, measures and responses to
the FEC impact in terms of and affecting-
a. Employment and living standards
b. Housing, social welfare assistance
c. Demographic and migration trends
d. Local governance
e. Environmental management, particularly disaster risk reduction
26
Annex 2: Key Concepts
Effectively identifying the FEC impact on poverty and vulnerability of communities in Belize City
and Dangriga requires a clear understanding of a number of key concepts. This understanding
in turn informs the determination of conditions and indicators that will demonstrate the impact
of the FEC at the national level and its link to community level changes. More specifically, clear
concepts help to focus the research in such a way that the required evidence of the FEC impact
on poverty and vulnerability can be unearthed. It also helps to formulate the effective policy
and response measures for mitigation.
The most important terms for the execution of this study were (a) exogenous shocks, (b)
transmission channels, (c) poverty, (d) vulnerability and (e) social protection. The definitions of
these concepts as applied and/or adhered to in this study are described in the remainder of this
Section.
A. Exogenous Shocks and Transmission Channels

Whilst Varangis et al assert that defining a shock is a matter of judgment; there is general
recognition of the recent financial and economic crisis as a shock - given the global nature of
the event and evidence of its impacts. For Belize, as well as other small economies whose
commodity and financial markets do not influence global trends, the circumstances leading up
to, as well as the crisis itself, were beyond its control and certainly exogenous.
B. Poverty and Vulnerability

The concepts of poverty and vulnerability are critical to the objectives of this assessment. In
Belize, as in the rest of the Caribbean, poverty is measured on the basis of the minimum daily
caloric intake of 2,400 per person as recommended by the Caribbean Food and Nutrition
Institute. This recommended minimum is factored into the calculation of an indigence and
poverty line for individuals and households. The indigence line is the cost of a basket of food
that would yield the required daily caloric intake. This then taken as 40% of the poverty line,
with the other 60% consisting of the cost of non-food essentials. In the past two country
poverty assessments for Belize (2002 and 2009), the cost of the baskets comprising the daily
caloric intake, and by extension the indigence and poverty lines, have been estimated for each
of the six administrative districts. It is important to note that in determining whether individuals
and households consumption meets or exceeds the recommended daily minimum caloric intake,
consumption of home grown foods is taken into account. On the other hand, the data analysis
for this study takes only the income reported by the survey respondent into account.
The concept of vulnerability is also essential for framing the enquiry of this study. Global Crisis
Solutions (nd, p.2) defines vulnerability as-
“…a set of prevailing or consequential conditions, which adversely affect the
community's ability to prevent, mitigate, prepare for or respond to hazard events. These
long-term factors, weaknesses or constraints affect a household's, community's or
society’s ability (or inability) to absorb losses after disasters and to recover from the
27 Annex 2: Key Concepts | United Nations Development Programme

damage. Vulnerability precedes the disaster event and contributes to their severity,
impedes disaster response, and may continue long after a disaster has struck.”
Another useful definition is vulnerability as “the characteristics of a person or group and their
situation that influence their capacity to anticipate, cope with, resist and recover from the
impact of a natural hazard (At Risk, Wisner et al., 2004: 11).” The literature on vulnerability stems
mainly from natural disaster and mitigation literature, and focuses on the exposure and risks to
structures, systems and persons in the face of a natural hazard. There is small pool of literature
on vulnerability to exogenous shocks, such as the financial and economic crises.
Notwithstanding, the fundamental issues of readiness and ability to mitigate, cope with and
recover from an exogenous shock remain the same.
C. Social Protection
The ability to withstand external shocks such as the financial and economic crises of 2006/07-
2008/09 hinges on risk management systems and measures. These are often enshrined in a
social protection system. Holzman and Jorgenson define social protection as “public
interventions to (1) assist individuals, households, and communities to better manage risk and
(2) provide support to the critically poor” (2000, p. 3). This definition of social safety builds on a
social risk management framework which recognizes all households and individuals as being
vulnerable to both natural and man-made risks. This latter includes economic downturns or
recessions. The authors further indicate that, given this definition and the underlying
framework, social safety provisions are, inter-alia:
 A safety net as well as a springboard for the poor;
 A type of investment in human capital formation, rather than a cost; and
 A focus on the causes of poverty, rather than the symptoms.
Building on Holzman and Jorgenson’s definition, the World Bank’s Poverty Reduction Strategy
Sourcebook describes measures to design an effective social protection program (draft, n.d.).
Importantly, the identification of structural and transitory vulnerabilities is essential for the
design of an effective program. A set of structural and transitory vulnerabilities identified can
be found at Box 1 overleaf. The indicated impacts of the FEC arising from the PPAs and
reinforced by the statistical analysis were assessed to determine which of the two groups they
fit so that the best recommendation could be made for interventions as required by the TOR.
28
Box 1: Sources of Vulnerability and Risk Relevant to Social Protection
Structural vulnerabilities
 High levels of poverty, large numbers of extreme poor, and high levels of inequality
 Lack of access to basic services
 Seasonality of employment, income, or consumption needs
 High levels of lawlessness and crime
 Geographic, gender, or ethnic concentration of the poor
 Poor macroeconomic, labor, and social policies
 Low asset levels and lack of asset portfolio diversification
 Low skill levels of labor force
 Structural unemployment (for example, for youth, graduates, or women)
 Limited social and family networks or limited flow of information
 High levels of child labor
 Permanent physical or mental disability
Transitory vulnerabilities
 Natural or weather-related, for example, earthquakes, floods, droughts, hurricanes,
or pests
 Economic downturn or crisis, for example, recession, transition, inflation, wage
arrears, changes in taxation or spending, decline in production in sectors from which
workers are immobile, job loss
 War, conflict, and violence (national, regional, or individual)
 Illness or injury, for example, individual illness, epidemics, or temporary physical or
mental disability
 Life cycle events, for example, effects on household income of old age, death of a
household member, widowhood or family breakup, or multiple births
Taken from Table 17.1, p. 168 of
Poverty Reduction Strategy Sourcebook
29 Annex 2: Key Concepts | United Nations Development Programme

D. Macroeconomic and Transmission Indicators
These impacts occur through transmission channels, such as those described by Thomas (2009)
and Nissanke and Thorbeke (2005), selectively described below.
1. Exports of Goods and Services: Recession in the developing countries to which Belize
exports goods and services led to a decline in demand and therefore a fall in earnings
from abroad. This was most evident for export of tourism services, which declined by
11.3% in 2009 from 2007 levels.
2. Terms of Trade: A direct result of the recession is increase in the price of imports
resulting especially from higher production costs, which combined with the decline in
export volumes means worsening terms of trade.
3. Exchange Rate: With a fixed exchange rate regime, an increase in demand for foreign
currency arising from higher import prices coupled with a fall in supply resulting from
declining exports leads to increased pressure on the exchange rate peg
4. Trade Credit: There is much anecdotal evidence across the Caribbean and in Belize to
suggest that, from both US-based and national/regional banks, export credit contracted
significantly. This would have had the effect of further contracting economic activity.
5. Official Development Assistance: Inflows of official development funds, particularly on a
bilateral basis, would have been constrained or reduced because of real or anticipated
declines in fiscal revenues in developed countries.
6. Foreign Direct Investment: A recessionary climate and credit crunch would have led
directly to decisions of private sector agencies not to expand businesses and therefore
reduce inflows of foreign direct investment.
7. Remittances: For most Latin American and Caribbean countries remittances from
emigrants declined, reflecting the labour market conditions in their host countries.
8. Migratory Labour: Slowdowns in economic activity may have led to a reduction in the
demand for migrant labor, in Belize. The extent to which this would have affected the
national economy needs to be determined.
9. Financial Contagion: The pressure on financial institutions in developed economies led
to the collapse of at least two regional financial institutions. The extent to which these
companies had interests in Belize and the effects on the national economy would have
to be determined.
10. Informal Economic Activity: An increase in unemployment rate and the cost of living
lends to higher activity on the informal and/or illicit markets. Evidence in these cases
would be anecdotal, and would have to be further gathered and/or assessed.
30
Annex 4: Key Issues Highlighted by Participator Poverty Assessment per Urban Community
PPA Participant Areas Condition, Change or Response MDG Area Impacted
Prevailing Conditions and Underlying Risks
Wageirale-Benguche No electricity MDG 7
Single Community Water Pump MDG 7
Makeshift Wooden Houses (vulnerable to hurricanes) MDG 7
Thorough ways meandering around homes (no planning, vulnerability) MDG 7
Port Loyola Informal settlements in un-surveyed wetlands MDG 7
St Martin de Porres High number of informal settlements in swamp and wetlands MDG 7
Houses and shacks made of sub-standard housing material MDG 7
Changes, Responses and Survival Strategies
Wageirale Decline in (receipt) of remittances MDG 1
Cheaper food (nutrition and caloric intake compromised) MDG 1
Seeking housekeeping jobs (low income) MDG 1
Children kept back from primary school because of lack of clothes and shoes MDG 2
Increase in domestic violence against women MDG 3
Increase in health problems due to stress and poor diet MDG 6
Prostitution, including by girls as young as 11 years MDG 6
Back-A-Town Hand to mouth existence MDG 1
Under-nutrition MDG 1
Children out of school for lack of resources MDG 2
Teenagers moving in with older men MDG 2
Increase in domestic violence MDG 3
Prostitution (risky health habits); increase in HIV/AIDS MDG 6
Postponing expenditure on health care and basic needs MDG 6
Yarborough price increases/cost of living rises MDG 1
Gambling MDG 1
Drug and alcohol use N.A.
Difficulty accumulating resources for cost of transition from primary to secondary MDG 2
school
31 Annex 4: Key Issues Highlighted by Participator Poverty Assessment per Urban Community | United
Nations Development Programme
Child prostitution MDG 2/MDG 6
Increase in level of crime N.A.
Youth delinquency N.A.
Belama Phase IV Malnutrition MDG 1
Cutting back on type and quantity of food MDG 1
Children withdrawn from school MDG 2
Children under-resourced for school MDG 2
Increase in domestic violence MDG 3
Women feel exploited in terms of wage differentials MDG 3
Increase in Dengue Fever, Malaria and Flu; Malnutrition MDG 6
More crime N.A.
Building and inhabiting make-shift homes MDG 7
Pickstock Increase in cost of living/decline in standard MDG 1
Hustling (additional short term jobs) MDG 1
Drug use MDG 1
Dependence on remittances MDG 1
Begging MDG 1
Sale of drugs MDG 1
Trafficking of young girls MDG 2
Physical abuse of children MDG 3
Prostitution MDG 6
Port Loyola Increase in domestic abuse MDG 3
Increase in crime and retaliation practices N.A.
Self-imposed curfews N.A.
St. Martin De Porres Price increases MDG 1
Increase in begging MDG 1
Proliferation in gambling MDG 1
Homelessness MDG 1
Informal credit MDG 1
Sale of personal possessions MDG 1
Increase in domestic abuse MDG 3
Increase in violence against children MDG 4
32
Annex 5: Geographic Boundaries and Main Profile of Participatory Poverty
Assessment Communities
33 Annex 5: Geographic Boundaries and Main Profile of Participatory Poverty Assessment Communities |
United Nations Development Programme
34
36
38
LFS 2006 Belize City h1: Does this household own, lease, rent or squat this dwelling?
Belize City Select Eds
Frequency Valid Frequency Valid

Percent Percent
Valid 1: Own/Hire Purchase 611 57.2 85 59.4
2: Lease 35 3.3 7 4.9
3: Rent-Private 330 30.9 36 25.2
4: Rent-Gov't 28 2.6 7 4.9
5: Rent-Free 58 5.4 6 4.2
6. Squat 7 .7 2 1.4
Total 1,069 100.0 143 100.0
Missing System 326 44
Total 1,395 187
40
Annex 6: Main Tables - 2006 Labour Force Survey
LFS 2006 Belize City h2: Is this land owned, leased or in some type of occupancy?
Frequency Valid Percent Frequency Valid Percent

Valid 1: Own 548 89.7 69 81.2
2: Lease 50 8.2 14 16.5
3: Renting 2 .3
5: Squatted 7 1.1 1 1.2
7: Other 1 .2 1 1.2
9: DK/NS 3 .5
Total 611 100.0 85 100.0
Total 1,395 187
LFS 2006 Belize City h3: What type of toilet facility does this household have?

Valid 1/2. Water Closet 1028.0 96.2 132.0 92.3
3: Pit latrine-ventilated and 3 .3 3 2.1
elevated
4: Pit latrine-ventilated and not 2 .2 1 .7
elevated
5: Pit latrine-ventilated compost 1 .1
6: Pit latrine-not ventilated 2 .2
7: Other 24 2.2 3 2.1
8: None 8 .7 4 2.8
9: DK/NS 1 .1
Total 1,069 100.0 143 100.0
Total 1,395 187
LFS 2006 Belize City h4: What is the main source of lighting for your household?
Valid 1: Electricity from BEL 1048 98.0 140 97.9

2: Electricity from other public generator 4 .4
5: Kerosene Lamp 4 .4
6: Other 11 1.0 3 2.1
7: None 2 .2
Total 1,069 100.0 143 100.0
41 Annex 6: Main Tables - 2006 Labour Force Survey | United Nations Development Programme
Total 1,395 187
LFS 2006 Belize City h5: What is the main type of fuel used for cooking?
Valid 1: Gas-Butane 1009 94.4 137 95.8

2: Wood 13 1.2 1 .7
3: Kerosene oil 5 .5
4: Electricity 10 .9 1 .7
5: Other 1 .1
6: None 31 2.9 4 2.8
Total 1,069 100.0 143 100.0
Total 1,395 187
LFS 2006 Belize City h62: Does this household have a computer?

Valid 1. Yes 284 26.6 21 14.7
2. No 784 73.3 122 85.3
9. DK/NS 1 .1
Total 1,069 100.0 143 100.0
Total 1,395 187
LFS 2006 Belize City h8: Main source of drinking water?
Valid 1. Piped Water 228 21.3 37 25.9

2. Standpipe 20 1.9 2 1.4
3. Hand Pump 2 .2
4. Covered vat/drum/well 93 8.7 17 11.9
5. Uncovered drum/vat/well 8 .7
6. Purified, bottled water 715 66.9 87 60.8
9. DK/NS 3 .3
Total 1,069 100.0 143 100.0
42
Total 1,395 187
LFS 2006 Belize City: Occupation Job Title ISCO MAIN
Frequency Valid Percent Frequency Cumulative Percent
Valid Defense Force 6 .4 1 .5

Legislators senior officials and 123 7.9 6 3.0
managers
Professionals 121 7.8 8 4.0
Technicians and associate 143 9.2 16 8.0
professionals
Clerks 193 12.4 21 10.4
Service workers and shop 346 22.2 47 23.4
sales workers
Agricultural forestry and 33 2.1 7 3.5
fishery workers
Craft and related workers 217 13.9 36 17.9
Plant and machine operators 104 6.7 21 10.4
and assemblers
Elementary occupations 272 17.4 38 18.9

Other 3 .2
Total 1,561 100.0 201 100.0
Missing System 1,179 157
Total 2,740 358
LFS 2006 Belize City: Years Completed + Attending School

Valid 0 36 1.3 1 .3
3 5 .2
4 11 .4
5 44 1.6 3 .8
6 38 1.4 8 2.2
7 117 4.3 17 4.7
8 764 27.9 132 36.9
9 163 5.9 25 7.0
10 240 8.8 29 8.1
11 213 7.8 21 5.9
12 594 21.7 74 20.7
13 85 3.1 15 4.2
14 242 8.8 16 4.5
15 23 .8 3 .8
16 96 3.5 9 2.5
17 48 1.8 2 .6
99 21 .8 3 .8
Total 2740 100.0 358 100.0
LFS 2006 Belize City: Previous Industry

Valid Free Zone 21 4.3 1 1.5
Bananas 1 .2
Forestry logging sawmilling 1 .2
Fishing and fish processing 9 1.9 4 5.9
Mining and quarrying 2 .4 1 1.5
Manufacturing of food products 14 2.9 1 1.5
Manufacturing of textiles 18 3.7 1 1.5
Manufacturing nec 16 3.3 2 2.9
Electricity gas water 9 1.9 3 4.4
Construction 12 2.5 3 4.4
Wholesale retail repair 74 15.2 11 16.2
Tourism 76 15.6 8 11.8
Transport nec 31 6.4 4 5.9
Financial intermediation 12 2.5 1 1.5
Real estate renting 12 2.5 4 5.9
General government services 68 14.0 8 11.8
Com social and personal 105 21.6 16 23.5
services
Other 5 1.0
Total 486 100.0 68 100.0
Total 2740 358
LFS 2006 Dangriga h1: Does this household own, lease, rent, or squat, in this dwelling?
All Dangriga Select Eds

Valid 1: Own/Hire Purchase 94 59.9 13 54.2
2: Lease 15 9.6 5 20.8
3: Rent-Private 29 18.5 5 20.8
5: Rent-Free 19 12.1 1 4.2
Total 157 100.0 24 100.0
Total 210 38
44
LFS 2006 Dangriga h2: Is this land owned, leased or in some type of occupancy?

Valid 1: Own 75 79.8 12 92.3
2: Lease 17 18.1 1 7.7
7: Other 1 1.1
9: DK/NS 1 1.1
Total 94 100.0 13 100.0
Total 210 38
LFS 2006 Dangriga h3: What type of toilet facility does this household have?

Valid 1: Water closet linked to sewer 6 3.8 1 4.2
2: Water closet linked to septic 125 79.6 21 87.5
Water Closet 131 83 22 92
3: Pit latrine-ventilated and 9 5.7 2 8.3
elevated
4: Pit latrine-ventilated and not 3 1.9
elevated
6: Pit latrine-not ventilated 12 7.6
8: None 2 1.3
Total 157 100.0 24 100.0
Total 210 38
LFS 2006 Dangriga h4: What is the main source of lighting for your household?
All Select Eds

Dangriga
Valid 1: Electricity from BEL 155 98.7 24 100.0
6: Other 1 .6
9: DK/NS 1 .6
Total 157 100.0 24.0
Total 210 38
LFS 2006 Dangriga h5: What is the main type of fuel used for cooking?
Valid 1: Gas-Butane 142 90.4 22 91.7
2: Wood 5 3.2 2 8.3
3: Kerosene oil 2 1.3
6: None 7 4.5
9: DK/NS 1 .6
Total 157 100.0 24 100.0
Total 210 38
LFS 2006 Dangriga h62: Does this household have a computer?

Valid 1. Yes 32 20.4 6 25.0
2. No 124 79.0 17 70.8
9. DK/NS 1 .6 1 4.2
Total 157 100.0 24 100.0
Total 210 38
LFS 2006 Dangriga h8: Main source of drinking water?

2. Standpipe 5 3.2 1 4.2
Total 157 100.0 24 100.0
Total 210 38
LFS 2006 Dangriga: Main means of financial support?

Valid Self (Wages/Salaries...) 154 42.7 32 47.8
Self (Savings/Rents...) 24 6.6 10 14.9
Parent/Guardian 85 23.5 13 19.4
Spouse/Partner 57 15.8 6 9.0
Child/children 30 8.3 3 4.5
Other 5 1.4 2 3.0
DK/NS 6 1.7 1 1.5
Total 361 100.0 67 100.0
46
Total 1055 183
LFS 2006 Dangriga: What is your income?
Frequency Cumulative Frequency Cumulative

Percept Percept
Valid Unpaid Family Worker 6 3.3 1 2.9
<= $119 7 7.1 1 5.9
$120 - $239 7 10.9 - 5.9
$240 - $359 7 14.8 1 8.8
$360 - $479 6 18.0 1 11.8
$480 - $599 9 23.0 2 17.6
$600 - 719 15 31.1 4 29.4
$720 - $839 14 38.8 4 41.2
$840 - $959 5 41.5 2 47.1
$960 - $1079 11 47.5 1 50.0
$1080 - $1199 4 49.7 1 52.9
$1200 - $1319 9 54.6 1 55.9
$1320 - $1439 5 57.4 - 55.9
$1440 - 1559 6 60.7 3 64.7
$1560 - $1679 5 63.4 2 70.6
$1680 - $1799 3 65.0 - 70.6
$1800 - $1919 4 67.2 - 70.6
$1920 - $2039 5 69.9 3 79.4
$2040 - $2159 3 71.6 1 82.4
$2160 - $2279 2 72.7 - 82.4
$2400 - $2519 1 73.2 - 82.4
$2640 - $2759 1 73.8 - 82.4
$2880 + 4 76.0 1 85.3
Seasonal Worker 19 86.3 1 88.2
DK/NS 25 100.0 4 100.0
Total 183 34
Total 1055 183
Annex 7: Main Tables - 2009 Labour Force Survey
LFS 2009 Belize City h1: Does this household own, lease, rent, or squat, in this dwelling?
District Select Eds

Valid 1. Own / Hire-purchase 396 62.1 48 67.6
2. Lease 7 1.1 1 1.4
3. Rent - private 170 26.6 14 19.7
4. Rent - Govt. 7 1.1 1 1.4
5. Rent - free 57 8.9 7 9.9
6. Squat 1 .2
Total 638 100.0 71 100.0
Total 903 86
LFS 2009 Belize City h2: Is this land owned, leased or in some type of occupancy?
District Select Eds

Valid 1. Owned 358 91.1 44 91.7
2. Leased 24 6.1 3 6.3
3. Rented 3 .8
4. Permission to work land / 1 .3
Sharecropping
7. Other (Specify_______________) 7 1.8 1 2.1
Total 393 100.0 48 100.0
Total 903 86
LFS 2009 Belize City h3: What type of toilet facility does this household have?
District Select Eds

Valid 1. Water closet linked to sewer system 243 38.1 19 26.8
2. Water closet linked to septic tank 358 56.1 48 67.6
3. Pit latrine, ventilated and elevated 9 1.4 1 1.4
4. Pit latrine, ventilated and not 12 1.9
elevated
6. Pit latrine, not ventilated 4 .6 1 1.4
7. Other (Specify) 2 .3
8. None 8 1.3 2 2.8
9. DK/NS 2 .3
Total 638 100.0 71 100.0
48
Total 903 86
LFS 2009 Belize City h4: What is the main source of lighting for your household?
District Select Eds

Valid 1. Electricity from BEL 623 98.0 69 97.2
4. Gas Lamp 1 .2
5. Kerosene Lamp 7 1.1 2 2.8
6. Other (Specify) 4 .6
7. None 1 .2
Total 636 100.0 71 100.0
Total 903 86
LFS 2009 Belize City H5: What is the main type of fuel used for cooking?
District Select Eds

Percent Percent
Valid 1. Gas (Butane) 587 92.4 67 94.4
2. Wood 16 2.5 1 1.4
3. Kerosene Oil 2 .3 2 2.8
4. Electricity 13 2.0
6. None 16 2.5 1 1.4
9. DK/NS 1 .2
Total 635 100.0 71 100.0
Total 903 86
LFS 2009 Belize City h6_2: Does this household have a computer?
District Select Eds

Valid 1. Yes 181 29.2 15 22.1
2. No 437 70.5 53 77.9
9. DK/NS 2 .3
Total 620 100.0 68 100.0
Total 903 86
LFS 2009 Belize City h8: Main source of drinking water?
District Select Eds

Percent Percent
2. Standpipe
3. Hand-pump 1 .2
5. Uncovered 1 .2
vat/drum/well
8. Other 1 .2
9. DK/NS 1 .2
Total 637 100.0 71 100.0
Total 903 86
LFS 2009 Belize City H1: Does this household own, rent, or squat, in this dwelling?
District Select Eds

Valid 1. Own / Hire-purchase 396 62.1 48 67.6
2. Lease 7 1.1 1 1.4
3. Rent - private 170 26.6 14 19.7
4. Rent - Govt. 7 1.1 1 1.4
5. Rent - free 57 8.9 7 9.9
6. Squat 1 .2
Total 638 100.0 71 100.0
Total 903 86
LFS 2009 Belize City H2: Is this land owned, leased, or in some other type of occupancy?
District Select Eds

Valid 1. Owned 358 91.1 44 91.7
2. Leased 24 6.1 3 6.3
3. Rented 3 .8
4. Permission to work land / 1 .3
Sharecropping
7. Other 7 1.8 1 2.1
(Specify_______________)
Total 393 100.0 48 100.0
Total 903 86
50
LFS 2009 Belize City H3: What type of toilet facility does this household have?
District Select Eds

Valid 1. Water closet linked to sewer system 243 38.1 19 26.8
2. Water closet linked to septic tank 358 56.1 48 67.6
3. Pit latrine, ventilated and elevated 9 1.4 1 1.4
4. Pit latrine, ventilated and not elevated 12 1.9
6. Pit latrine, not ventilated 4 .6 1 1.4
7. Other (Specify______________) 2 .3
8. None 8 1.3 2 2.8
9. DK/NS 2 .3
Total 638 100.0 71 100.0
Missi System 265 15
ng
Total 903 86
LFS 2009 Belize City H4: What is the main source of lighting for your household?
District Select Eds

Valid 1. Electricity from BEL 623 98.0 69 97.2
4. Gas Lamp 1 .2
5. Kerosene Lamp 7 1.1 2 2.8
6. Other (Specify_______________) 4 .6
7. None 1 .2
Total 636 100.0 71 100.0
Total 903 86
LFS 2009 Belize City H5: What is the main type of fuel used for cooking?
District Select Eds

Valid 1. Gas (Butane) 587 92.4 67 94.4
2. Wood 16 2.5 1 1.4
3. Kerosene Oil 2 .3 2 2.8
4. Electricity 13 2.0
6. None 16 2.5 1 1.4
9. DK/NS 1 .2
Total 635 100.0 71 100.0
Total 903 86
LFS 2009 Belize City H6_2: Does this household have a computer?
District Select Eds

Valid 1. Yes 181 29.2 15 22.1
2. No 437 70.5 53 77.9
9. DK/NS 2 .3
Total 620 100.0 68 100.0
Total 903 86
LFS 2009 Belize City H8: What is the main source of water for this household?
District Select Eds

Percent Percent
2. Standpipe
3. Hand-pump 1 .2
5. Uncovered vat/drum/well 1 .2
8. Other 1 .2
9. DK/NS 1 .2
Total 637 100.0 71 100.0
Total 903 86
UNDP is the UN's global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to
knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166
countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As
they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners.
World leaders have pledged to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, including the overarching
goal of cutting poverty in half by 2015. UNDP's network links and coordinates global and national efforts
to reach these Goals. Our focus is helping countries build and share solutions to the challenges of:
 Democratic Governance
 Poverty Reduction
 Crisis Prevention and Recovery
 Energy and Environment
 HIV/AIDS
UNDP helps developing countries attract and use aid effectively. In all our activities, we encourage the
protection of human rights and the empowerment of women.
52
Belize
United Nations Development Programme-Belize

3rd Floor, Lawrence Nicolas Building
South Ring Road
Belmopan
Belize
501-822-2688
www.undp.org.bz
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Belize

Rapid Impact Assessment of Financial

The Millennium Development Goals

Main author: Patricia Mendoza, MA International Affairs, Economic Policy

Contact: Jay A Coombs

Design: UNDP Belize

Printer: Belargo Enterprises, Belize City, Belize

All rights reserved. No Part of this publication may be reproduced,

v Content | United Nations Development Programme

vii Abbreviations | United Nations Development Programme

1 Introduction and Summary Conclusions | United Nations Development Programme

3 Introduction and Summary Conclusions | United Nations Development Programme

Official Grants and Remittances, $BZ millions

through which the 60

40.00 important. These include the

5 2. Macroeconomic and Social Protection Context | United Nations Development Programme

7 2. Macroeconomic and Social Protection Context | United Nations Development Programme

9 2. Macroeconomic and Social Protection Context | United Nations Development Programme

respondents and those 40.0

Box 1: Coping and Children’s Education

25 Annex 1: Approach to the Analysis | United Nations Development Programme

A. Exogenous Shocks and Transmission Channels

B. Poverty and Vulnerability

27 Annex 2: Key Concepts | United Nations Development Programme

29 Annex 2: Key Concepts | United Nations Development Programme

Belize City Select Eds

Frequency Valid Frequency Valid

Belize City Select Eds

Frequency Valid Percent Frequency Valid Percent

Belize City Select Eds

Frequency Valid Percent Frequency Valid Percent

Belize City Select Eds

Frequency Valid Percent Frequency Valid Percent

Valid 1: Electricity from BEL 1048 98.0 140 97.9

Belize City Select Eds

Frequency Valid Percent Frequency Valid Percent

Valid 1: Gas-Butane 1009 94.4 137 95.8

Belize City Select Eds

Frequency Valid Percent Frequency Valid Percent

LFS 2006 Belize City h8: Main source of drinking water?

Belize City Select Eds

Frequency Valid Percent Frequency Valid Percent

Valid 1. Piped Water 228 21.3 37 25.9

LFS 2006 Belize City: Occupation Job Title ISCO MAIN

Belize City Select Eds

Frequency Valid Percent Frequency Cumulative Percent

Valid Defense Force 6 .4 1 .5

Elementary occupations 272 17.4 38 18.9

LFS 2006 Belize City: Years Completed + Attending School

Belize City Select Eds

LFS 2006 Belize City: Previous Industry

Belize City Select Eds

Frequency Valid Percent Frequency Valid Percent

All Dangriga Select Eds

Frequency Valid Percent Frequency Valid Percent

All Dangriga Select Eds

Frequency Valid Percent Frequency Valid Percent

All Dangriga Select Eds